Provoked Gill blasts England for 'lacking spirit of game'
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
England vs India: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar vs Ben Stokes & Co – the story of a riveting first session on Day 5
KL Rahul and Shubman Gill lie on white beach towels on the Old Trafford turf, stretching their limbs for what they expect to be a long day ahead. As if they needed reminding, an early bird Indian fan from the empty stands lets out a shout that is unsolicited advice – 'Poore din khelna hai (Have to play the whole day)'. They don't even turn back, but move on to face a few throw-downs from the trainers. Soon they are at the crease to play what is being called the crucial couple of hours that would decide the Test and the series. This first session was to determine the outcome of the match and series. India would lose Rahul in the first half hour of the first session and Gill in the last before lunch. But it was an intriguing session of ups and downs. There were plots, sub-plots, tactics, counter-tactics. There were aches, pains and heart-breaks too. 11 am: (India – 174/2 in 63 overs, trailing by 137 runs) The talk about Ben Stokes nursing a hamstring injury and not being able to bowl on the final day was either a rumour or the England skipper pulling a Novak Djokovic on the world. Stokes didn't bowl on Saturday but on the fifth morning was a different beast. After left-arm spinner Liam Dawson bowled an over, he was taking off his woollens and cap and would bowl the most challenging over of the innings. This wasn't going to be an easy morning for Rahul and Gill. Stokes is sticking to the plain vanilla fifth-day bowling plan – aim for the stumps and leave it to the wear and tear of the pitch to change the trajectory of the ball. He is bowling from the old pavilion end with a few patches of dirty rough outside the right-hander's off-stump. Gill pokes at one ball and misses. He goes for a walk towards square-leg for atonement. Soon, he has to bring his bat hastily down as a Stokes ball keeps terribly low. Another walk to square-leg to take his mind off this wicked surface. He tries to hit straight but can't reach the boundary line. Finally, it is a Stokes ball on the legs that gets Gill, and India, the day's first four. At the other end, Rahul is facing Dawson – the busy-looking spinner who computers say is getting much more drift and turn than he did on Saturday. Stokes has surrounded Rahul with fielders, there is pressure on him. The opener sweeps and misses, the ball passes close to the bat. England think he is caught behind, DRS shows Rahul isn't. No reviews left for England, they have exhausted their quota. After bowling his menacing overs, Stokes keeps feeling his shoulder blade. He seems to be in trouble but only when he is not bowling. With an alleged dodgy shoulder and suspected hamstring strain, the England captain's dependence on the pitch to get wickets works. Rahul is beaten by a nip-backer that stays low. He starts walking even before the umpire raises his finger. He and Gill were together for close to 70 overs, they were supposed to take India home. Indians prayed they would stay on the pitch all day. The partnership was broken in the first half an hour. 11.30: India – 188/3, 71 overs, trailing by 123 runs The Gill vs Stokes battle is getting intense. The captains aren't giving up. The end from which Stokes is bowling is getting dangerous for right-handers – the rough outside off is getting diabolical. Stokes is bending his back, he knows England now have an opportunity to end this quickly. He virtually takes Gill out with a ball that climbs on him out of nowhere. The ball hits the Indian captain's fingers and ricochets to the side of the head. Such is the power of the blow that Gill almost tumbles on the stumps. He gathers himself and stays on his feet only to realise the pain of his injured fingers. He throws away the gloves, shakes his hand vigorously. The physio runs in to attend to him, the captain is now batting with a bandage. India's injury list keeps getting longer. Making. Things. Happen. Ben Stokes gets one to jag back, stay low and KL Rahul is gone for 90. 🇮🇳 1️⃣8️⃣8️⃣-3️⃣ — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2025 It's not easy out there. Survival is getting difficult and Stokes, despite his aches and pains, is ready to put his foot on India's throat. After the ball that flew off the pitch and threw up a puff of dust, another one keeps low. Gill just about keeps it out of the stumps. Stokes is now feeling his glutes, lower back and, of course, his shoulder blade. But he is trying to get a grip on the game and Dawson from the other end is keeping things tight. It's all working for England. 12:00: India – 193/3 in 76 overs, trailing by 118 runs Gill and Washington Sundar come up with a plan to negotiate the England bowlers and the dirt-patches on the pitch. So the left-hander Washington takes on Stokes as the channel outside his off-stump is fairly true. The bounce from that part of the pitch is more predictable. It works for a while but rotating strike comes with its own set of problems. Gill refuses a single, there is almost a mix-up between the two. 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚, #ShubmanGill crafted a heroic century to keep Indian's momentum going! 🔥#ENGvIND 👉 4th TEST, DAY 5 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 Challenge No.2 awaits India, the new ball is due. At 12.20, Chris Woakes is ready to have another go with the shining cherry. Ironically, Gill, the No.4, for the second time in this innings, is facing Woakes's first over. Washington almost edges the third ball to slip, just like Jaiswal had done. The Indian section of the crowd cheers wildly as Gill hits Archer's first ball, a long hop, for four. He's in his 90s. Soon Old Trafford stands, the Indian captain raises his bat to reach his 100, kisses his bat and looks to the sky. The celebration is short, there's a lot to do. 12:30: India – 206/3 in 83 overs, trailing by 105 Archer has settled now, is hitting the right spots and getting swing too. He is constantly testing Gill with in-swingers. Gill is playing this smartly, tracing the ball, moving with it and presenting a dead bat. There is chat among experts that the Dukes ball starts talking after a few overs. Washington is growing confident, he is knocking the ball around. He scores three straight 3s, the scoreboard is ticking. Jofra Archer gets the BIG wicket of Shubman Gill 👊 India four down! 🇮🇳 2️⃣2️⃣3️⃣-4️⃣ — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2025 And when it was thought India was recovering and a classic Test was unfolding, Gill has a misjudgement. Expecting that Archer would keep bringing the ball into him, he is foxed by a ball that went straight. He followed the ball, edged it and was caught behind. Across Old Trafford, hope died. 'It is just a matter of time,' Ben Duckett could be heard saying from the stump mike. It sounded true. 1:00 (Lunch) – 223/4 in 89 overs, trailing by 68
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh Settle For A Draw In Game 2 Of FIDE Women's World Cup Final; Tiebreaks To Ensue On Monday
Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will face tiebreaks to decide the FIDE Women's World Cup winner after drawing Game 2 on Sunday. Well, it was level pegging yet again, and tiebreaks shall decide the fate of Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh, who played out yet another enthralling draw at Game 2 of the FIDE Women's World Cup on Sunday. The Indian players, currently tied at 1-1 each, shall now enter the tiebreaks to decide the ultimate winner. Both finalists already made history, becoming the first-ever Indians to qualify for the semifinals of the Women's World Cup, after which both players went on the schedule the first-ever All-Indian final at the event. Game 1 of the Final was a nail-biting draw, which saw Divya throw away her lead with the white pieces, allowing the veteran Humpy to fight her way back into the game and force the draw. With the title on the line, Humpy and Divya came in with the idea of finishing off the bout today. Humpy started off with a conservative opening, in an attempt to hold onto her slender advantage with the white pieces. But, a spirited Divya was on top of her game, attacking the veteran with might and courage, piling the time pressure on Humpy early on. Move 20, though, proved to be a moment of importance. Divya, playing with two knights, offered a tempting Queen Exchange to Humpy, who had two bishops on offer. But the veteran took her sweet time, burning the clock down to a little less than 35 minutes left, to deny the offer and push Divya, who held the clear time advantage, to an early endgame. Divya, though, kept her composure to work her way out of the rut and secure the draw, to live to fight another day. Humpy and Divya will face off in the tiebreaks tomorrow, on Monday. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Mahreen, Arshvant finish as top Indians at US Kids World Teen Golf
Pinehurst (US), July 27 (PTI) Mahreen Bhatia, who was tied fourth, and Arvshvant Srivastava, who was tied-sixth, were the top Indians in the Girls and Boys sections in Category 15-18 at the US Kids World Teen Championship here. A total of six Indians played this week and four players finished in the Top-10. Arshvant and Vihaan Jain, both in Boys 15-18, were Tied-6 and Tied-10, while Mahreen Bhatia (71-67-75) was 3-under and T-4 and Ayesha Gupta (73-73-71) was 1-over and T-9. Asara Sawhney (74-75-74) was T-27. In the Girls 13, Anushka Gupta, sister of Ayesha Gupta (Girls 15-18), carded her best of the week with 73 and was 11-over and Tied-11th. Arshvant produced his best round of the week with a 2-uner 70 that included a birdie and an eagle in the last five holes to finish with an even par total as he was the best Indian among Boys 15-18. Arshvant, who gave away a triple bogey after the ball got stuck in tree root in the third round, had four birdies and an eagle in the third and final round. He also dropped four bogeys. With earlier rounds of 71-75-70, he finished at even par 216 for three days. Also in the Boys 15-18, Vihaan Jain, who shot 67 in the first round, finished with 72 in the final round and he was 1-over for three rounds and was T-10. Only five players finished under par and the winner was Jace Benson (US), who shot 71-69-71 for 5-under and he won the tie-breaker ahead of Americans Clint Bailey and Nakul Shrivastatva who also shot 5-under totals. In Girls 15-18, Mahreen had three birdies against four bogeys. She dropped two bogeys in the first three holes and again two bogeys in the last three holes. Ayesha 73-73-71) was 1-over and T-9 and Asara (74-75-74) was T-27 in the Girls 15-18. Mahreen's fourth place was the first time she missed being in the Top-3 in the last three years. She was runner-up once and third on another occasion. PTI Corr UNG (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 18:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
